Nutrition of Black Women During Pregnancy

Abstract

Objective To examine the consistency and adequacy of nutritional intake in a population of Black women in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. Design This was a longitudinal descriptive study. Data were collected from women with low-risk pregnancies at 22–24 week prenatal visits and two subsequent visits. Setting Participants were recruited from urban prenatal clinics in one city in the Northeastern United States. Participants Pregnant women who self-identified as Black (N=195) Methods A 24-hour diet recall was obtained at each of the three study time points. Food models and measuring cups were used to improve the accuracy of portion size reporting. Data from diet recalls were manually entered in Food Processor software to compute nutritional content. Results Dietary intake was examined using a linear mixed effect model. Dietary patterns were stable from the second to the third trimester and caloric intake was inadequate. Women met minimal daily requirements for carbohydrate and protein intake, but the overall percentages of fat, protein, and carbohydrates indicated that additional calories needed to come from protein. Although more than 80% of women regularly took prenatal vitamins, micronutrient and fiber intake were consistently inadequate. Conclusion Prenatal care that helps women to identify foods that are high in fiber, protein, and micronutrients is important for the health of the women and newborns. Knowing that nutritional intake is consistently inadequate, whenever nurses are in contact with pregnant women counseling can occur in attempt to improve nutritional intake and make women aware of inexpensive nutrient sources.

Relationships between Maternal Obesity and Maternal and Neonatal Iron Status

“…Although we did not assess dietary iron intake and supplements in the current study, it is plausible that disparity in nutrient intakes exists between white and ethnic minority women. Previous studies have demonstrated that iron intake in pregnancy is inadequate in ethnic minority women [ 33 , 34 ]. As ethnic minority groups experience higher rates of obesity, further studies exploring ethnic disparities in markers of maternal iron status are warranted.…”

The Relationship of Nutritional Energy and Macronutrient Intake with Pregnancy Outcomes in Czech Pregnant Women

“…Inadequate diets that lead to nutrient deficiencies as well as lack of energy intake (EI) can have a substantial impact on pregnancy outcomes and neonatal health. Energy and nutritional restriction disrupt proper fetal development and may result in disease persisting into the individual's subsequent life, including type II diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease [3]. Therefore, understanding the relation between maternal nutrition and pregnancy outcomes may provide a basis for nutritional interventions that will improve birth outcomes and long-term quality of life [4].…”

Dietary intake, physical activity and sedentary behavior and association with BMI during the transition to parenthood: a prospective dyadic study

“…One other longitudinal study found that fruit intake in first-time mothers decreased compared to non-mothers (33). However, a common finding among all these studies, which is also confirmed by Belgian food consumption data, is that intake of healthy food groups such as fruits and vegetables for most women appear to be below the recommended daily intake (33,(35)(36)(37)(38)(39)(40)(41). The pregnant women from our sample had a fruit intake of 206 g/day which is indeed below the recommended 250 g/day.…”